by Kaylee Ryan
“We got your gift,” I say, putting it out there. If he wants to talk about this shit, then we can talk about it. I’d rather do it now than when McKinley is around to hear it.
“I went back to the room three times before I actually left it there. I fought with myself over and over. I knew the two of you weren’t planning to spend the night anywhere else and by the way you kept looking at her…I just thought better safe than sorry.”
“Thank you.”
“It’s weird for me, seeing you with her like that. I mean, I’ve watched the two of you grow closer, but since Lex was born, it’s just different between the two of you.”
“It’s been happening for months, man. She’s…amazing.”
Aaron turns to look at me. I can feel his stare, but I keep my gaze on the water.
My phone vibrates and I pull it out of my pocket. It’s a text from Kinley, a picture of Lexi curled up on her chest sleeping.
“That my sister?” Aaron asks.
“My wife,” I reply. The words falling from my lips. I should have just said yes.
“You told her.” It’s not a question. I have to tear my eyes away from my girls to answer him.
“No.” As soon as the words are out of my mouth, shame washes over me. I wanted to tell her, almost did.
“I think you’re making a mistake.”
“I just…can’t tell her okay.”
Aaron throws his head back and laughs. Probably scaring all the fish, fucker. “It’s easy to see, man. You think I would have left you a box of condoms in a hotel room with my baby sister, marriage license or not, if I didn’t know you loved her? She knows me better than that. I’m sure she can see right through you just like the rest of us.”
“You can’t tell her.”
That sobers him up. “No, you need to tell her.”
“This is different for her. She cares about me, but she loves my daughter. She reminds me daily that we both will be walking away from this. Until then, I want to hold on tight to every moment she’s my wife. Moments like kissing her goodbye and asking if she’s okay with me leaving. I don’t need her permission, but I want to share it all with her. That all comes with it,” I explain.
“I get it, but I think you’re wrong. She loves both of you.”
How I wish that were true. We could drop this agreement bullshit and just be…us. “She’s adamant, man. She constantly says that this is just temporary.”
“I call bullshit.”
I shrug. “I won’t pressure her to change her mind. I want her happy. More than anything, that’s what matters to me. If leaving me once this shit is worked out with Misty’s parents is what she wants, then I have to live with that.”
My phone vibrating in my pocket breaks the silence. Digging it out, it’s another text from McKinley. This time it’s her and Lexi both wide awake, lying on the bed, smiling up at the camera. The caption says, “We miss you.”
“Your wife?” Aaron smirks.
“Yes.” I hold the phone up so he can see the picture.
“Like I said, I call bullshit. Let’s pack up and head out. Fish aren’t biting and I really just wanted to get you away from your wife, so we could talk.”
“Yeah,” I say, saving both pictures and then sliding the phone back in my pocket.
We pack up and are back on the road in no time. “Never thought it would be my little sister, man, but I’m happy for you.”
I grin at him. “You do realize we are now officially brothers?” I ask him.
He laughs. “Never thought about it, but I guess we are.” Reaching over, he claps me on the shoulder. “Welcome to the family.”
Family. My foot presses a little harder on the pedal in a hurry to get back to mine.
Chapter 49
McKinley
This week has been a little crazy. In between shoots at the studio, I’ve been packing up my clothes and bringing over a few boxes at a time. I’m not bringing everything, because, well…I’m just going to have to move it all back when it’s over.
Luckily, today I have nothing scheduled in the studio, so Lexi and I are hanging around the house. I’m working on getting my clothes unpacked. Thankfully, we have a furniture delivery coming around eleven. We decided to go ahead and buy a bed for one of the extra bedrooms as well as another dresser to match the suite in the master. Evan insisted I have a place for my clothes. “I don’t want you living out of boxes,” he said.
“Honey, I’m home,” I hear Evan yell from downstairs.
“Daddy’s home, Lex,” I say as I finish changing her diaper. “He’s home early.”
“There you are.” He stands in the doorway of her bedroom. “How are my girls?”
I love it when he does that, when he calls us his girls. “Good, doing some laundry and waiting for the furniture delivery. What are you doing home?”
“I missed a call from the attorney, so I thought I would stop here and call him from the landline. Reception has been sketchy the last few days.”
“I haven’t noticed, but then again, I don’t think I’ve done anything other than text or email from my phone.” I lift Lexi from the changing table and she grins at her daddy.
“Hey, baby girl.” He grabs her foot. “I’m going to go make the call. Then I’ll hang out with you two for a bit. I feel like all we’ve done this week is rush around.”
“Me too.”
He leans in and kisses me. “I won’t be long.” I watch as he walks back downstairs and toward the office. My gut clenches. We’ve been waiting to hear from the attorney. Evan faxed him our marriage license from Alabama before we left. Now it’s just a waiting game.
Lexi and I are in the living room playing on the floor when Evan joins us. “Has she done it again?” he asks.
“Not today.” Lexi rolled over two nights ago and we’ve been dying for her to do it again. “What did he say?” I ask.
He sits down on the other side of Lexi and props up on an elbow. “Apparently, her parents are furious. They are still going to try to take this thing to trial. Fields says they have no case. It doesn’t help their case that he has documentation from Misty saying they were to have nothing to do with Lex.”
“They don’t love her,” I blurt out. “I feel bad for them, losing their daughter, I do. However, that does not give them the right to take ou…yours.”
“Hey.” He reaches over and cradles my cheek. “They won’t take her. You made sure of that the day you agreed to be my wife.”
“I just hate it! I hate thinking of her living with them. They told her to...” I can’t even finish the thought.
“I know, babe. Fields mentioned that as well. Misty brought that up the day we signed the papers. He assures me they don’t have a case. If they want to waste attorney fees dragging this thing through court, let them.”
The doorbell chimes. Evan grins. “That, my wife, is your dresser.” Leaning over, he kisses Lexi on the nose and offers me a quick peck on the lips before jumping to his feet to answer the door. We’re getting a complete bedroom suite and one additional dresser, yet it seems as though that single dresser is what excites him. I stay in the living room with the baby while Evan shows the men where to go.
Twenty minutes later, Evan reappears. “All done.” He grins. “I need to head back out to the stables. We have two new colts being delivered today.”
“Delivered as in the momma is ready to deliver or delivered as in coming on a stock trailer?” I ask him.
“Stock trailer.”
“Awe, maybe I’ll bring Lex out so she can see them.”
“Anytime you want, baby. They should be here in the next hour or so.”
“It’s time for her bottle. Hopefully, she will nap and I can fill up that new dresser. Then,” I tickle Lexi’s belly, “we will go see Daddy at work.”
Evan grins and waves goodbye. It’s not ten minutes before Lex starts to fuss and I know it’s time for her to eat. “Let’s get you fed, baby girl.”
While Lex naps
, I take full advantage and unpack the last of my clothes into the dresser. I’m just breaking down the last box when I hear her baby babble from across the hall. I wash my hands and then go get her up. After a quick diaper change, we’re out the door. I load her up in her car seat and we head to the stables.
The sound of the door opening has everyone turning to look at me. Evan is standing there with his flannel shirt hanging open, sleeves ripped off and those abs, the ones I like to trace with my tongue, are on full display. He really is a work of art.
Evan smiles. He ignores the men in front of him and stalks toward me. Snaking his arm around my waist, he kisses me. Lex babbles, causing him to laugh and pull away. “I see you, baby girl.” He taps her nose with his finger. “You ready to see them?” he asks me.
I nod. He takes Lex from me, his arm around my waist, and leads us to the group of men.
“McKinley?” one of the guys says. I turn to look and see Barry Barnes. He and I graduated together.
“Barry, hey.” I step out of Evan’s embrace and hug him.
“How have you been?” he asks, stepping away.
Evan slides his arm around my waist pulling me into his side. I rest my hand on his chest. “Good, I have a photography studio at Mom and Dad’s,” I tell him.
Barry smiles at me. “That doesn’t surprise me. Seems like you always had a camera in your hands, even if it was just a cell phone.”
“I didn’t realize you and my wife knew each other,” Evan chimes in.
“Wife, wow, I didn’t know. Yeah, Kinley and I graduated together.”
“That’s right. I forgot you lived here before,” Evan adds.
“Your daughter’s a cutie,” he says to me.
“She is,” I reply. It’s with those words I feel Evan relax beside me. “You see the horse, Lex?” She couldn’t care less, but I still wanted to bring her out to see them.
Evan laughs. “I don’t think she cares, baby.”
My heart skips a beat at the term. He uses it a lot when it’s just us, but here in front of his employees…he just keeps stealing little pieces of my heart.
“I think you’re right. I won’t keep you. I just wanted to stop in and see the new additions.”
“I’ll walk you out.” Evan looks up at the group of guys. “Be right back.”
He loads Lexi in her seat and walks me to my side of the car. Pushing me up against the door, his mouth devours mine. “What was that for?” I ask once he breaks the kiss.
“I just…”
“You’re jealous?” I grin up at him.
“Fuck yes, I’m jealous. He had his hands on you,” he pouts.
“Evan, come on. It was a friendly hug.”
“I know that, and I kept my cool, but…I didn’t like it.”
“Poor baby,” I coo, like I would to Lexi.
“Right? I had to watch another man with his hands on my wife.”
“You crazy man. Get back to work. We’ll see you later.” I stand on tiptoes and kiss him one more time.
When I pull away, he’s grinning. “I’ll be home soon.” He kisses me again before opening my door. I drive away with a smile on my face.
Chapter 50
Evan
Six months. It’s hard to believe my daughter is already six months old. Not only that, but today is my two-month wedding anniversary. Yes, I know this is not usually a milestone that is celebrated, but for me, I don’t know how long I will have her. Each day with McKinley is better than the one before. I’ve almost slipped hundreds of times and said I love you. I do. I love her. She’s just as much a part of me as Lexington.
Today, we’re taking pictures. McKinley has done a special shoot for Lexi each month. Her newborn pictures are still my favorite. She got her elephant ears for a hat and a diaper cover with an “A” on it. My baby girl is sleeping in a ball with the ears on and a matching diaper cover. The day she gave it to me is one of the days I almost let it slip. I almost let the words roll off my tongue. We had only been home from Alabama for about two weeks. I got home one night and there were frames set up all over the kitchen table. The newborn pictures of Lexi along with month one, two, and three, and then there were the pictures of her with my parents. Not gonna lie, I had to choke back tears when I got to those.
“You ready, Daddy?” McKinley asks. She’s standing in the doorway to the living room, camera bag in one arm and my daughter in the other.
“Yes.” I reach for Lexi and she holds out her arms for me. This is something new she’s been doing. I hold her in the air and blow on her tummy, making her giggle and grab my hair.
“Let’s go, you two. Did you get the car seat strapped in on the Mule?” she asks me.
“Yes, ma’am. We’re good to go.” We make our way outside and I strap Lexi into her seat as Kinley climbs in the front and gets her camera bag situated. “Where to?”
“I thought we could go down to the meadow with all the wildflowers. The lighting will be good, with both bright lights and shadows. I also thought it would be cute to put one of the flowers behind her ear and set her in them.”
“You know she’s just going to try to eat them, don’t you?” I ask her.
She laughs. “Probably, but that will just add character to the shot. What did Mr. Fields say when he called earlier?”
Just the mention of my attorney’s name causes my blood to boil. It’s nothing he’s done, but it means I’m still dealing with Misty’s parents. Their attorney filed an extension, claiming they were giving the court time to investigate if McKinley and I are good parents. We’ve met with a social worker twice already.
“Nothing really. The social worker has to make a total of four visits. One planned, which we’ve already been through, and three unplanned. It’s their way of trying to catch us being bad parents.”
“She can come every damn day if she wants,” she seethes.
I reach over and lace my fingers through hers. “I know, baby. It’s just a process we have to go through. You ready to get rid of me already?” I tease her.
“No! It’s not that, I swear. I just…hate this. I hate that it’s still looming over our heads, that they want to try and take her. It’s not right.”
“No, it’s not right. They’re playing a game, Kinley. They know they can’t win, so instead, they’re trying to catch us screwing up. It’s not going to happen. They will not win this,” I tell her.
She squeezes my hand and we remain silent the rest of the ride to the meadow. Well, we do, Lexi laughs and babbles as the wind hits her face. She loves taking rides on the Mule. Her little baby voice yelling “da da da” flows to my ears and straight to my heart. That’s new too. About three weeks ago, she said it for the first time and I was the only one to hear her. McKinley kept saying I was making it up until two nights later when I came through the door after work. She started saying it over and over and over. I didn’t stop grinning for a week and still haven’t really. Life is good. No, life is great!
We reach the meadow and Kinley goes into photographer mode. I let her do her thing while I get Lexi out of her seat. “Okay, I think we should start with her single shots first before she gets worn out and over the whole process.”
“Good idea. Where do you want her?”
“Over there in the wild flowers.” As she mentioned earlier, she picks one and hands it to Lexi. She’s so interested in it, she doesn’t notice McKinley shoves one behind her ear. “Now move back and I’ll get a few before she starts to get away,” she laughs.
“Da da da,” Lexi babbles on while crumbling the flower in her hands. I’m standing close for the minute she tries to eat it. I know that’s the plan; she puts everything she can get her little chubby hands on in her mouth these days.
“There she goes, Dad,” Kinley giggles. Lexi, done with the flower, is now on all fours, rocking back and forth. Kinley and her mom, even mine, says she’s going to be crawling any day now. I baby-proofed the house last weekend just in case. I need my little girl safe when she’
s on the move.
I grab her and she chuckles, her hands tapping my cheeks. “Perfect,” I hear Kinley say.
Lexi and I both look at her at the same time. She continues to snap pictures. “My turn,” I say, handing Lexi off to her. Instead of her camera, I reach into my pocket and pull out the one she bought for me when Lexi was born.
“You could have used mine, Evan,” she laughs.
“Hell with that. I wouldn’t even begin to know how to use that thing. Besides, I like this. My wife bought it for me.” I grin. That’s something else I never get tired of hearing, her being called my wife.
“What do you think, Lex? You think we should let Daddy take our picture?”
“Da da da da,” Lexi rambles on. Kinley tickles her belly and they both have their heads back laughing, wild flowers in hand. I snap a picture or twenty. Capturing memories just like she said I would.
Kinley ends up setting her camera on the tripod and using the remote control to take some portraits of us all. This wasn’t her plan, but I insisted. I can’t wait to see how they turned out.
“I think our girl is about done,” I tell McKinley as she packs up her gear. Lexi is rubbing her eyes with her head resting on my shoulder.
After throwing her gear in the back of the Mule, she walks over to us. “You were such a good girl today, Lex.” She reaches out, brushes her cheek. That’s when it happens.
“Momma,” falls from my baby girls tired lips.
McKinley gasps, throwing her hands over her mouth. Her eyes instantly welling with tears.
I don’t hesitate with my response. I reach out to McKinley and pull her close. “That’s right, baby. That’s Momma,” I tell her. It might be wrong of me to do that without discussing it with Kinley first, but damn it, I want her to be her momma. I want to live each day for the rest of our lives just like we have the last two months. I don’t want to let her go.
McKinley pulls away, wiping at her tears. “You can’t do that,” she tells me. “You can’t tell this precious little girl I’m her momma. You can’t tell my heart I’m her momma. This is temporary, Evan. You can’t do that to her, to me,” she cries.